Dusanee Thanaboripat

Inhibitory effect of garlic, clove and carrot on growth ofAspergillus flavus and aflatoxin production

The inhibitory effect of crude extracts of garlic, clove and carrot at concentrations of 20,000, 40,000, 60,000, 80,000 and 100,000 μg/mL on growth ofAspergillus flavus and aflatoxin production in rice was investigated. The results showed that garlic, clove and carrot could inhibit the growth ofA. flavus and aflatoxin production. Garlic and clove at 100,000 μg/mL highly reduced the level of aflatoxin from 5.94 to 0.15 and 0.06 μg/g respectively whereas carrot at 20,000 μg/mL reduced the most level of aflatoxin from 5.94 to 0.03 μg/g. Garlic, clove and carrot at 100,000μg/mL also inhibited the mould growth. The most effective herb for inhibiting the growth ofA. flavus and aflatoxin production was garlic.

Micromonospora oryzae sp. nov., isolated from roots of upland rice.

An actinomycete strain, designated CP2R9-1T, was isolated from root internal tissues of upland rice (Oryza sativa). Based on a polyphasic approach, strain CP2R9-1T was characterized as a member of the genus Micromonospora. meso-Diaminopimelic acid and 3-OH-diaminopimelic acid were present in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannosides, two unidentified phospholipids and four unidentified polar lipids. Predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H4), MK-9(H6) and MK-10(H4). Whole-cell sugars consisted of ribose, xylose, arabinose and glucose. Phylogenetic analysis of the nearly complete 16S rRNA gene sequence suggested that strain CP2R9-1T was closely related to Micromonospora haikouensis 232617T (99.32 % similarity), Micromonospora carbonacea DSM 43168T (99.18 %) and Micromonospora krabiensis MA-2T (99.16 %). Strain CP2R9-1T was distinct from its closest relatives based on low levels of DNA-DNA relatedness (21.3 ± 0.1-41.7 ± 0.7 %) and phenotypic differences. The results presented in this study showed that strain CP2R9-1T represents a novel species of the genus Micromonospora, for which the name Micromonospora oryzae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CP2R9-1T ( = BCC 67266T = NBRC 110007T).

Micromonospora endophytica sp. nov., an endophytic actinobacteria of Thai upland rice ( Oryza sativa )

An actinobacterial strain, DCWR9-8-2T, was isolated from a leaf of Thai upland rice (Oryza sativa) collected in Chumporn province, Thailand. Strain DCWR9-8-2T is Gram-stain-positive aerobic bacteria that produce single spores directly on the vegetative hypha. Cell wall peptidoglycan of this strain exhibits meso-diaminopimelic acid and glycine, the reducing sugars of whole-cell hydrolysate are arabinose, glucose, ribose, xylose and small amount of mannose. The phospholipid profiles in the membrane are comprised of phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannosides. The major menaquinones are MK-9(H4) and MK-10(H6). The diagnostic cellular fatty acids are iso-C16:0 and iso-C15:0. The G+C content of the genomic DNA is 72.5 mol%. The result of 16S rRNA sequence analysis of the strain revealed that this strain was closely related to Micromonospora auratinigra TT1-11T (99.25%). On the other hand, the result of gyrB gene sequence analysis revealed that this strain was closed to M. eburnea JCM 12345T (96.30%). In addition, a combination of DNA–DNA hybridization results and some phenotypic properties supported that this strain should be judged as a novel species of the genus Micromonospora, for which the name M. endophytica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DCWR9-8-2T (=BCC 67267T=NBRC 110008T).

Assessing the Impacts of Electricity Utilization in Educational Faculties: A Thailand Case Study

In view of the up-scaling energy crises worldwide, efforts have been focusing on reducing energy consumption and replacing fossil fuels usage with renewable energy sources. Thailand is one of the developing countries that have been facing an increase in energy demand associated to its economic expansion. The development in the educational sector is one of the sectors causing an increasing energy demand. Purpose: This study aims to quantify energy usage and understand its environmental impacts in one of the educational facilities in Thailand in order to identify energy saving opportunities and improvement options related to energy consumption in this sector. Materials and Methods: The investigation included a historical energy analysis for energy utilization of the facility, an onsite energy audit and an environmental impacts assessment. A number of potential energy saving opportunities was identified; related cost savings and CO 2 reduction were calculated. Additionally, the environmental impacts of energy utilization were simulated using the life cycle assessment technique. Special attention was given to potential impacts on global warming due to its direct association to fossil fuels combustion. Results and discussion: the pattern of energy utilization was identified and it clarified that the major contributor to energy utilization was energy consumption practices by students and staff of the faculty. Consequently, awareness raising of energy saving opportunities and people involvement was the major area of improvement. Results show that increasing people involvement in energy saving practices could lead to a cost saving of 46,000-120,000 USD/Year with low cost investment and a 100-240 ton CO 2 reduction. Other potential savings were using motion sensors which save 30-40% of energy costs in offices and utilizing renewable solar energy as a source for electricity. This will save 13,300-33,300 USD/Year with a 7.5 years payback and 35-50 years lifetime. When assessing the associated environmental impacts to electricity production, five main categories were found to be impacted: fossil fuels depletion, respiratory inorganics formation potential, global worming potential, acidification potential and eutrophication potential. The application of the suggested energy saving opportunities will reduce the electricity consumption, lower generated air emissions from fossil fuels combustion, consequently minimize all associated impacts specially global worming potential. In Conclusion: assessing energy utilization of educational facilities is essential to reduce energy demand in an up-scaling economy. Energy analysis and onsite energy audits are efficient methods for recognizing energy utilization patterns and identifying energy saving opportunities. The implemented investigation in this study can be applied in different educational facilities.